


Of Dragons and Other Difficult Beasts

by phoenixgal



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Brothers, Genderfluid Character, Multi, Pranks and Practical Jokes, Quidditch
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-09-07
Updated: 2018-08-06
Packaged: 2018-12-25 00:59:59
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 3,913
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12024759
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/phoenixgal/pseuds/phoenixgal
Summary: It's Charlie Weasley's sixth year and he has a crush on his best mate that he'd really like to figure out how to deal with. The problem is that between his meddling brothers, managing a team of quidditch misfits, and disappearing creatures from the Forbidden Forest, something keeps interfering. And then there's Tonks, who is either the most infuriating person at Hogwarts or his confidante or his girlfriend. He's not sure which.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> I have a plan for this with lots of (hopefully) fun side stories and plotlines, some intrigue, a little angst, some romance and coming out, and lots of brother friendships, but I have a feeling updates will be on the slow side. I'll update tags as I go. I'm almost positive the rating will stay T. There will be discussion of sex, sexuality, and gender in upcoming chapters, but no smut.
> 
> I don't know why there aren't more fics about this era at Hogwarts just before Harry's time. So many good characters to explore. This is yet another story I have in mind that doesn't fit into a well-worn genre, but I hope it'll appeal to some readers.

Charlie pushed the luggage cart forward, past the overwhelming family scene.

“We'll be fine, Mum.”

“Yeah, stop fussing.”

“We're not scared of going off to school.”

“More like Hogwarts should be scared of them,” Bill muttered as he and Charlie dragged their trunks past their family over to the train.

Charlie glanced over at Fred and George, trying to say a hasty goodbye to their parents as their youngest siblings, Ron and Ginny looked longingly at the train. He and Bill had already said their more dignified goodbyes, hoping to escape the inevitable scene when their parents packed the twins off onto the Hogwarts Express for the first time. Percy was hovering nearby, looking uncomfortable. Charlie knew he'd already spotted Penny Clearwater, a Ravenclaw who had once tried to explain at length how they were breaking some school rule or other during his first year as a prefect. Percy had looked besotted. Charlie had told her to shut her gob or he'd dock points from Ravenclaw.

“Charlie!”

He turned and saw Leonidas Heath, another sixth year Gryffindor, dashing forward. They hadn't seen each other since the end of term and Charlie was pretty sure Leo had grown another two inches. He smiled his slightly off center grin at Charlie and Charlie felt a rush of confused emotions surge forward again. He had been almost glad his best mate had gone away for the whole summer, so he could stop feeling whatever this was that he felt whenever Leo gave him that smile.

Leo clapped Charlie on the back and grabbed hold of the other end of Charlie's battered trunk. “Already loaded mine,” he said. “Wait'll I tell you about the kongamato we saw on our safari. Better than a dragon, Charlie.”

“Go on. Nothing's better than dragons.”

“But you've never even seen any of these African creatures. I've got photos. You won't believe it.”

Charlie tried not to be jealous. Leo's family had a fortune made selling specially charmed clothing and Leo, always in durable, nice clothes, got decent vacations and lavish presents every Christmas. At least he hadn't said anything about Charlie's old trunk. It had belonged to a great-uncle and now sported a hole on one end. If it weren't for Leo, Charlie didn't think he'd even have noticed that sort of thing, but being around Leo made it hard sometimes.

“You going to leave Heath on as keeper?” Bill asked once they had settled Charlie's trunk and headed to the front car for the prefects meeting.

“What'd'you mean?” Charlie asked.

“Oh come on,” his brother said. “You're quidditch captain now. Don't let your mates on the team if they don't deserve it.”

“He's not bad.”

“He's not good either,” Bill muttered.

Just then, they felt the lurch of the train beginning to move. Several younger students suddenly poured out of one of the cars into the corridor, clutching their noses and moaning about the smell. Charlie spied the twins looking guilty at the far end of the corridor, stuck partially in the traffic jam.

He and Bill cuffed the two of them and dragged them forward. It was easy enough. Charlie could tell Fred and George were destined to be tall like Bill and Percy, but they hadn't hit their growth spurts yet. They were barely eleven and still small enough to control. Hopefully he'd be graduated by the time they really became too much trouble to take care of.

“Dung bombs?” Bill said disdainfully as soon as they got the two of them into a mostly empty car.

“S'not our fault!” George said.

“It's not even creative,” Charlie said.

“We didn't set 'em off!” Fred said. “Some third year was on about there being too many Weasleys.”

“All I did was invite him to open my case, and...” George started.

“Enough,” Bill said. “We have to get to the front car. I'm head boy this year so you need to keep your noses at least mildly clean or I'll have to dock points from you before you can even be sorted into your houses.”

“Aw, come off it, Bill,” Fred said.

“You know we're going to be perfect additions to Gryffindor,” George added.

“They're going to make me mental before the year's out,” Charlie predicted as they left the twins behind.

Several Hufflepuff girls with heavy makeup charms passed them and one giggled at Bill, pointing at him and raising her eyebrows to her friends. Charlie rolled his eyes. His brother was too popular for his own good.

In the front compartment, it was much the same. The prefect girls all twittered over Bill as he made his announcements about starting the year right and everyone's duties. Even Idara Smith, a new fifth year Gryffindor prefect who Charlie had always thought was more sensible than that, seemed to be trying to cozy up to him in order to get at his brother.

When Bill instructed everyone to walk the length of the train and make sure there was no mischief before settling back in, Idara said, “Maybe you could patrol with me and show me how it's done, Charlie.” When Charlie glanced at Bill, she added, “Bill too.”

“Uh, you'll do fine,” Charlie said, putting her off. She practically pouted and pushed her long, braided hair out of her face with a sigh as she ended up leaving with one of the new Ravenclaw prefects instead.

Bill seemed to have watched the exchange with amusement, which was all he needed to have his brother rib him about a fifth year.

The car had mostly cleared out and Charlie was thinking about skipping the patrol; it wasn't as if there weren't plenty of prefects all being attentive already. That's when he heard a distant buzzing like music and, on impulse, walked into the corridor.

He got to watch it as it moved through the whole corridor, obviously disrupting the train compartments as it went as well. At the far end, it was like an echo of music and a strange commotion but by the time it reached the students in front of him, a group of younger boys, it was obvious what was happening. The boys, looking deeply shaken and embarrassed, suddenly began to dance, their hands flying out in front of them, their feet lightly tapping, their bodies swaying. And then it had moved to Charlie, who could suddenly hear the music at full volume. It was louder than he anticipated, and surely muggle from the heavy drum beats. He had only ever heard things like it from the muggle born students.

Then, just as quickly, it had moved off him, the music becoming an echo again and the people in the head compartment beginning the dance. Charlie watched through the window as Bill and the remaining prefects began dancing to the music. When it reached Bill and Mira, the new Head Girl, they seemed to dance for even longer. Bill's face looked furious.

Charlie managed to get himself back in the compartment, but by the time he'd gotten there, the magic had started a trip back in the other direction, now heading to the back of the compartment. It was like the wave at a quidditch match. Each person danced for just a scant few seconds in turn, the music and forced dancing moving through the compartments in order. It must have been incredibly complex magic.

“Godric's gonads!” Bill swore, much to the amusement of everyone left. Bill was relaxed about language, but not usually one to swear himself and they all knew it.

“What jinx would you use for that?” a Ravenclaw prefect asked.

“More complex magic than a jinx,” her friend responded.

Charlie, though still reeling from it, was almost amused. What a complex prank to start the year. However, as Bill approached him, he could see that his brother was livid. He followed Charlie through the corridors and peeking into compartments as he questioned people. At least the jinx, or the prank, or whatever it was, seemed over.

Just before they reached the final compartment, the twins reappeared. This time they were filled with questions.

“Who did that?”

“Can we meet them?”

“Worship at their feet perhaps?”

“Ask them to teach us everything they know?”

“Offer ourselves up in service?”

“Be quiet,” Bill snapped as they opened the door to the final compartment. Inside, they found the original group of Hufflepuff girls with overdone makeup charms, all of them laughing loudly. One girl was nearly bent over from her giggles.

Charlie was ready to leave them, but Bill was immediately suspicious and the twins seemed to think the answer was in here with the Hufflepuffs as well. He knew it was only because his brother was so new at being Head Boy. Bill was generally pretty relaxed but it wasn't a great way to start his tenure. As he questioned the girls, Charlie turned to go.

That's when he saw that there was someone else in the compartment. He looked young, perhaps a fourth year, with yellow blond hair and pale skin, still wearing muggle jeans and a green T-shirt. He had been hovering near the door and hurried off when Charlie turned to leave, letting the compartment door slam behind him.

Charlie hurried after him, but when he got to the corridor, he could only see one person. Nymphadora Tonks was calmly headed into the next train, her blue hair a shock of brightness over her half slung on robes. That hair was unmistakeable. She only got away with it because she was a metamorphmagus. When other students put hair color or elaborate makeup charms on, the heads of houses were supposed to tell them to take them off or dock points. Tonks played keeper for the Hufflepuff team and he'd already heard a rumor that she was made captain over the summer like him. He was looking forward to beating her. She had mocked him for failing to catch the snitch in a miserable game against Slytherin at the end of the previous year.

Charlie hurried to catch up with her as she went through to the next car. In the corridor, the trolley witch was slowly making her rounds.

“Oi, Tonks!” he called, thinking to ask her if she'd seen the blond boy.

She turned and grinned at him.

“Yeah, Weasley?”

For a moment, he looked at her. Something seemed wrong, but he couldn't say exactly what. Then Bill had caught up with him as well and was standing behind him.

“Did you see something?” Bill asked.

“Oh,” Charlie said, not really wanting to encourage his brother's zeal for catching the culprits too much. “Nah.”

“Me neither.” Bill rolled his eyes.

“Are you talking about the dancing prank?” Tonks asked. “Everyone looked pretty funny.”

Charlie nodded.

“Humiliating for some students,” Bill said. “I'm sure there are first years who are upset.”

The train shook and they each gripped the wall to steady themselves. “Did you want something, Weasley?” Tonks asked, looking right at Charlie.

“Oh, nah. Sorry. We should get back to the front, right, Bill?”

Bill nodded. He gave Tonks a sour look and Charlie remembered then that his brother had never much liked her. She really could be a nasty player at quidditch to have drawn Bill's ire. “Come on.”

“See you on the pitch, Weasley,” Tonks said, sounded self-assured and a little devious.

It was not until they had walked away that Charlie realized she had been wearing a green T-shirt and jeans under her robes, which weren't even all the way on. She was a metamorph, but could she pull off looking that much like a completely different person? She had looked just like a boy.

“… suppose it wasn't the worst prank ever,” Bill was saying as they reached the front compartment again. “Plus, Olivia Brown asked what my plans were for the first Hogsmeade weekend.”

“Oh,” Charlie said, trying to remember which of the Hufflepuff girls was called Olivia and coming up blank. They were all a little bit the same, that group of older Hufflepuff girls. He couldn't keep them straight.

“Hey, I saw Smith cozying up to you earlier. You should ask her out.”

“Who, Idara? Nah, I think she might like someone else.”

“Do you have eyes, man? She was clearly in for you.” Bill knocked him jovially on his arm as they opened the mostly empty compartment. “Ask her. We'll double.”

Charlie thought about Idara and her long braids, red lips, and smooth, dark skin. She was all right, he supposed. She could fly a broom decently and she treated her owl well. He always noticed how people took care of their pets. That was a mark in her favor. He didn't mind Idara, but he couldn't imagine asking her to Hogsmeade.

“Nah.”

“Come on,” Bill said. “You ended it with that Ravenclaw girl too fast last year. Have a little fun.” Charlie had only ever gone out with the Ravenclaw girl because Leo had a thing for her best friend.

“If you're scared, I'll do it for you,” Bill said. Then, his eyes brightening, he said, “In fact, that's just what I'll do.”

Charlie didn't like when Bill had that look. He could be too determined sometimes. “Don't, Bill,” he pleaded. “It wouldn't work out.”

“Why? Oh ho, you have a crush on someone else!” Bill exclaimed. “Who is it? Come on then, spill.”

Leo's dark hair and pale face flashed in Charlie's mind for the fraction of a second it took for him to push it back down. “No one,” he said.

“Oh no, I see that blush,” Bill said. “Tell me.”

He wouldn't let it go, Charlie was sure. He knew how tenacious Bill could be about everything. And how enthusiastic. What he needed was someone Bill was sure to leave alone. “Dora,” he said suddenly. Immediately, he wished he could shove it back in.

“Dora who? Who is that?” Then the knowledge bloomed on his brother's face. “Tonks, you mean? You must be starkers. No, I take that back, I already knew you were starkers, this just confirms it.” Bill laughed. “Good luck with that, brother. No way am I getting involved there!”

Charlie let out a sigh of relief. Bill looked like he was about to say something more, probably to tease him, but then Leo's face appeared at the compartment door and Charlie's best mate was there smiling, distracting them both from Nymphadora Tonks.

“We're halfway to school and you still haven't come see my photos. Come on, you knob,” Leo said. “You're going to love all the creatures we saw.”

Charlie shrugged at his brother, who rolled his eyes with affection. “Yeah, coming,” he said to Leo, and followed him out of the compartment to wherever Leo had his own things waiting.


	2. Chapter 2

“Wait'll I show Professor Kettleburn my safari photos,” Leo said cheerfully as they headed down the hill to the outdoor building the Care of Magical Creatures professor preferred for lessons. It was their first class back, and the first one with all the other sixth years from every house. For some reason that Charlie found completely mystifying, Care of Magical Creatures wasn't an especially popular course of study. There were only about a dozen other students trailing down the path.

“He'll be impressed,” Charlie admitted. He had been impressed too, the first time Leo had showed them off. At this point, he'd seen them three times and was just burning with jealousy. A photo of Leo himself atop a horse-like creature with horns was especially making Charlie feel strange inside. Leo, with his hair slightly shaggy, wearing fitted dragonhide trousers and a loose shirt, waving and grinning in the photo, made Charlie furrow his brow in frustration whenever he thought about it.

“Ooh,” Leo said, hurrying down to the field. “Kneazles.”

Indeed, Professor Kettleburn's yard where he instructed the students seemed to be overrun with the furry cats. There must have been a dozen of them, mostly doing what kneazles did best, which was lounge and ignore each other. A few of them were stalking about. One of them was mauling a fence post.

As they carefully latched the fence so as to not allow any of the cats to escape, Charlie saw Nymphadora Tonks perched on the end of the fence, dangling a shoelace at a kneazle kit, who was batting at it, then seeming to forget it was there, only to discover it all over again.

“Stop teasing it,” Leo said.

“What d'you know, Heath?” she said. “It's having a grand time.” She made a face at him and for a moment, she briefly broke out in whiskers before letting her face resume its normal appearance.

Leo shook his head and made a face at her. “I can't believe they let you do this class anyway, Tonks,” he said. “Seems like it's cheating to let the creatures take their own class.”

“Oh, grand talk from the player who let in so many goals it didn't matter if I caught the snitch or not last year,” she said. “I hope Weasley keeps you on, Heath. I hate when quidditch is too much work.”

Charlie scowled at her. The truth was that Leo hadn't had one of his better games when they'd faced Hufflepuff the previous year, but he hardly wanted to admit it to Tonks. “Come on, Leo. Let's get inside.”

“If your team is too easy on you, I'd happily play you in a seeker's match,” Tonks said to Charlie, with a grin. “I know you probably deserve a real challenge sometimes.”

“I think I've got it covered, thanks,” Charlie said, trying his best to ignore her.

Tonks hopped off the fence and followed them inside, settling at a table with a short-haired Ravenclaw girl.

“Don't worry, Charlie,” Leo said, under his breath as Professor Kettleburn started class, “My father got me a brand new Cleansweep. With you as captain, we'll take the trophy for sure.”

Charlie hoped so. He wasn't sure if a shiny new broom would be enough to help Leo's game, but it couldn't hurt.

“...the kneazle dealer was shut down for abuse, so we're giving these creatures a temporary home for a few weeks,” Professor Kettleburn was in the midst of saying. “I want to start this lesson with a discussion of the illegal trade in creatures. As older students who may one day work with magical creatures, you should be highly aware of Ministry laws and procedures for whatever creatures you come in contact with. Then we'll begin a long term practicum observing our visiting kneazles. Kneazles have many magical properties which are often overlooked...”

Charlie loved Professor Kettleburn, but he tended to drone on during a classroom lesson. He tuned the professor out, knowing that Leo was taking excellent notes with his fancy quill and parchment, and that the professor's practical lesson would be a million times better.

However, as they headed outside with their parchment and quills to record notes on kneazle behavior, Charlie groaned when Professor Kettleburn went through the group splitting everyone up. “No, no,” the professor said. “It's good to mix things up a bit. You learn more when you're with someone new. Weasley, with Tonks. Heath with Ms. Chatterjee, please. Yes, that's right.” He continued to pair them off with people outside their houses, meaning Charlie wasn't the only one groaning.

Tonks made a genuine face at the professor when his back was turned, her whole face turning bright purple and her eyes bulging out impossibly and rolling back. Charlie grimaced, but Sarita Chatterjee, the short haired Ravenclaw that Tonks had been sitting with before giggled.

“Right then, Weasley. At least you'll make it easy on me. Everyone knows you've got the touch with creatures,” she said, settling in with a pair of kneazles that were eying each other.

In fact, the kneazles were only mildly interesting. Mostly they were a lot like cats. Half-kneazle cats were often kept as pets. Charlie took notes as the two kneazles they'd wound up with exhibited mildly territorial behavior, circling each other, then pretended to ignore each other, then hissed occasionally and started the whole thing over again.

“It's like watching Gryffindors and Slytherins,” Tonks said dryly. She sighed. “It'd be more interesting if I could make them dance.”

“It was you!” Charlie hissed. “I knew it!”

“Of course you did. Thanks for not ratting me out,” she added. “I wish I could have seen you get your boogie on. I'll bet you looked very handsome, Mr. Weasley.”

“How'd you manage it, anyway?”

“A girl never tells her secrets.”

Charlie snorted.

“Oh come off your high horse, Weasley. I know it was you and your brother who turned all the Slytherin hair bright red two years ago. You like a little prank.”

“That was in revenge for...” Charlie started, then snapped his mouth shut.

“Ha!” Tonks crowed. “I knew it! You know, we'd do some excellent magic together, especially since you're a prefect. Prefects get all the perks. Though now that I'm quidditch captain, that's helped a bit too. I have the most amusing thing in mind for Halloween and was hoping to find a partner...”

At that moment, their kneazles, who had gotten back to the hissing at each other stage, suddenly pounced. Both Charlie and Tonks moved back to give them room. Kneazles were rarely violent creatures so he was surprised at what he was seeing. Several of the other pairs of students paused their own kneazle observations to watch the scuffle.

“Professor, what are they…?” a Slytherin began, as the kneazles rolled across the ground, claws out. Then there was a moment when everyone suddenly chorused, “Oooh,” in near unison.

“They're going at it!” someone exclaimed.

Indeed, once they had rolled and clawed for a moment, they settled, one atop the other, practically gnashing at the one underneath's neck. But soon it turned into licking, the kneazle's scratchy cat tongue bathing over the one beneath it and both of them purring loudly.

“I think we're interrupting something,” Tonks announced, to a great deal of laughter.

“Should we expect baby kneazles soon?” Sarita Chatterjee asked.

“Look again, Miss Chatterjee,” the professor said.

“Ew!” Ignatius Newell said. “They're both boys. Disgusting.”

Charlie felt his eyes widen. They were both males.

“On the contrary, Mr. Newell,” Professor Kettleburn said. “Homosexuality shows itself in both the muggle and magical creature world quite routinely. It's particularly common among kneazles for some reason that we haven't determined. These two are, indeed, rather fond of each other. Kneazles often fight for dominance with the objects of their affection.”

“Still gross,” Newell said. “Who knew kneazles could be nasty puffs.”

“They don't even have shirts to lift,” Yardledge, another Slytherin, observed, leading to several giggles.

“Shut it,” Leo said to them. “If Professor Kettleburn says it's normal, it is.”

Charlie hardly dared move. He glanced at his best mate, who was looking at the shaggy yellow creatures with interest. He moved his eyes back to them.

“Thank you, Mr. Heath,” Professor Kettleburn said. “I'm afraid we'll have to end it there. For homework, please write up your notes in lab form with a proposal for your pair's kneazle project for the semester.”

Charlie looked back at his kneazles. They looked perfectly happy, their purrs sounding through the yard.

“Seems normal to me too,” Tonks said. “Let the kneazles do what they like, I say.”

Charlie nodded. “Yeah. Seems fair.”


End file.
